Buzzwords and the Credibility Problem

It’s tempting to promote a product, service or company by using popular buzzwords. The formula is simple: pick some buzzwords, string them together in a few sentences, and voila!

Buzzwords can be appropriate and convenient. But 90% of the time, they are misused.

I am growing increasingly sensitive to how I use buzzwords, because I am noticing that I react negatively when others use buzzwords in written and verbal communications. When I start hearing a parade of buzzwords, I conclude that the person isn’t communicating – they’re just stringing together a bunch of words for effect.

I suspect that you too react negatively or that like me, you start to tune out the conversation when you hear many buzzwords. That’s the rub with buzzwords – if everyone uses them, they are no longer unique. Who cares if you have a ground-breaking or viral product if every single other company claims to have a ground-breaking or viral product?

If your audience is tuning you out, your marketing or fundraising message will fall on deaf ears.